Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky's play "The Dowry" is considered to be a true masterpiece of Russian dramaturgy. It compares favorably with deep psychologism, colorful images, and the acuteness of social and personal issues. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the literary analysis of the work according to the plan, which will be useful to students in grade 10 in preparation for a lesson in literature.
Brief analysis
Year of writing- 1874-1878 years.
History of creation- As the basis of the plot, Ostrovsky, who held the honorary position of a justice of the peace, took the real story of the death of a young woman who died at the hands of her own husband. The author worked on the play for four years, from 1874 to 1878. At first, the work did not receive recognition, but after a while it became a resounding success.
Topic- Distorted relationships in a society in which the principles of "purchase and sale" reign. Any person, any act can be bought, the only question is the price.
Composition– A work consisting of four acts is characterized by a linear composition. The first act is the exposition and application (Arrival of Paratov), the second act is the development of the plot (Larisa's strong love for Paratov, for which she is ready for great sacrifices), the third act is the culmination (lunch at Karandyshev's), the fourth act is the denouement (Larisa's death) .
Genre- A play. Socio-psychological drama.
Direction- Realism.
History of writing
In the 70s of the 19th century, Alexander Nikolayevich served as a magistrate of the Kineshma district. On duty, he took part in high-profile court hearings and was well acquainted with the criminal chronicle of that time. All this gave Ostrovsky, as a writer, rich literary material, which he often used in his works.
Presumably, the plot of "Dowry" was based on real history, which shook the entire Kineshma district, when a local resident Ivan Konovalov killed his own young beautiful wife.
Ostrovsky began writing the play in the fall of 1874. However, parallel work on other works delayed her writing for four long years. Having successfully passed the censorship, "Dowry" was published in 1879 in the literary magazine "Domestic Notes".
The first performances were a failure and caused sharp criticism in their address. Such rejection was due to the fact that the author managed to open painful ulcers on the body of society. Such courage was not to everyone's taste, and was received with hostility by both theater critics and ordinary readers.
And only in the 90s of the 19th century, almost 10 years after the death of the writer, the well-deserved success came to the play.
Topic
The essence of Ostrovsky's drama fully reflects the meaning of the title- "Dowry". Previously, this was the name of poor girls who did not have a penny for their souls. Their position was very humiliating and difficult - rarely did anyone want to create a family with a dependent, who had to be fully supported all his life. Only beauty, upbringing and inner qualities could attract the attention of a worthy groom, ready to turn a blind eye to the lack of a dowry from the bride.
Thus, the author draws one of the serious problems of a society in which a person appears as a commodity that can be bought or sold. Few people are interested in the personality of a person, his emotional experiences, since everyone pursues only one goal - not to sell too cheap.
Larisa Ogudalova is a sensitive, kind and vulnerable girl, a real beauty, who, nevertheless, has one significant drawback - the lack of a dowry. They see the meaning of their life in the search for true love, and soon find it in the person of Sergei Paratov. She sees his image in a kind of halo, endowing him with virtues that do not exist in reality.
However, soon the romantic veil falls from the eyes of the heroine, and she sensibly assesses the current situation. The people around her, including her own mother, see in her only luxurious fun, an expensive toy that can be boasted in society. Even in close circle, no one seeks to look into her soul, to show sincere participation in her.
Larisa comes to the sad conclusion that she is a thing that should be sold at a higher price. clash pure soul with the vicious material world invariably leads to a tragic denouement - the death of the main character. However, Larisa finds consolation in her death, as it gives her long-awaited freedom.
Composition
In The Bride, the analysis includes a description of the compositional structure of the work. The composition of the play is sustained according to all classical laws, and consists of four acts:
- first act contains an exposition and a plot (a description of the life of Larisa and her family, the arrival of Paratov);
- in the second act a development of events takes place (Larisa is becoming more and more convinced that her personal happiness is possible only with Paratov, and for his sake she is ready to sacrifice a lot);
- third act- climax (lunch at Karandyshev's, Larisa's singing, which, in fact, is a pure and sincere declaration of love for Paratov);
- fourth act- denouement (the death of Larisa, who, at the moment of her death, from the bottom of her heart forgives all those who, one way or another, are guilty of her death).
All events take place during the day, which further enhances the drama of the story. The linear composition allows the author to convey the motives of the behavior of the main characters as accurately as possible. It becomes clear that their actions are largely determined not only by character traits, but also by the environment in which they live.
main characters
Genre
The play "Dowry" is fully consistent with the genre of drama, since it presents the difficult fate of the main character, forced to live in a constant conflict of her soul and society.
The purpose of the socio-psychological drama, to which "Dowry" belongs, is to reveal to the reader all the hardships that a person has to face in an alien environment. As a rule, the main characters of the drama expect internal contradictions, spiritual suffering, and, as a result, a tragic fate. But at the same time, the drama fully reflects the realities of life around, making you think about many important problems that prevail in any society.
Artwork test
Analysis Rating
Average rating: 4.4. Total ratings received: 754.
A play by A.N. Ostrovsky "Dowry" was written in 1879. At this time, the merchants were moving from patriarchal relations to new economic realities of life.
Merchant life was led by people of a new generation who copied everything European: costumes, entertainment, lifestyle. But the love of power and wealth remained and manifested itself with even greater force.
In contact with
This pernicious passion, the desire for wealth, and through it to power and pleasure, was shown by A.N. Ostrovsky in his the best work"Dowry". The life of a poor sensitive girl Larisa Ogudalova ended tragically because there is no place for love and honesty in a world where money rules and feelings are trampled on for them.
Summary of the play by A.N. Ostrovsky "Dowry". Its analysis resembles, although the events in that one took place 20 years ago, but:
- Money determines the relationship between people: between mother and daughters, between business partners, between husband and wife, between bride and groom.
- People's feelings have no value, no respect. Marry not for love, but for convenience.
- Because of all this, the main character in both Ostrovsky's plays tragically dies.
It will always be so, as long as there is the power of money and the sacred human feelings are trampled: love, respect, honesty.
Dowry
Drama in four acts.
Brief summary of actions.
Act one
The action of the play takes place in the large Volga city of Bryakhimov, which, like the cities of Kalinov from Thunderstorm, is not on the map.
The action begins early in the morning on the site near the coffee shop. Gavrilo, the barman, and Ivan, the servant, gossip about the rich merchants Knurov and Vozhevatov.
In the second apparition, the merchants appear near the coffee shop. They order champagne in tea utensils so as not to cause condemning gossip. Vozhevatov is waiting for the arrival of the wealthy shipowner Paratov, who has promised to sell him his ship, the Lastochka.
The conversation between the two merchants turns to a beautiful, but poor girl Larisa Ogudalova. They remember her love for Paratov. When he left her and left, Larisa, in desperation, rushed to catch up with him, but her mother returned. Around her, the grooms who are welcomed by her mother, the poor widow Harita Ignatievna Ogudalova, are curling around her. There are many suitors, but no one wants to marry a dowry.
Ogudalova married her eldest daughters to unworthy people, not worrying about how their wives would live with them. The widow invites guests to her house, hoping to give away her youngest daughter as soon as possible. Sensitive and smart Larisa does not like such a life, so she said that she would marry the first who would marry. It turned out to be Julius Kapitonych Karandyshev, a poor and nondescript official, but with great ambitions. Imitating the rich, he bought a carriage, an old and rattling, decrepit filly, and proudly rides his bride on it, not suspecting that he makes her ashamed of such behavior.
Knurov and Vozhevatov feel sorry for her and believe that a dowry can only become a kept woman by a rich merchant or will be forced to suffer with a worthless husband in poverty.
Ogudalova, Karandysheva and Larisa appear. Karandyshev invites Vozhevatov to dinner, then Knurov. They want to refuse and agree only after the invitation of Larisa and Ogudalova.
When everyone leaves to meet the ship, Larisa begs her fiancé to quickly leave for the village estate away from all the fuss. But Karandyshev does not understand her, refuses and annoys her with his jealousy. He remembers Paratov and demands an explanation why he is better than himself. Larisa candidly says that Paratov is the ideal of a man, in her opinion, and at one word he is ready to follow him.
Preparing to leave, the girl approaches the grate, and Karandyshev warns that falling from it onto the stones below is certain death.
After their departure, Paratov appears with Robinson, an artist whom the master took from a desert island on the Volga, and gave him such a nickname. Paratov tells his plans: he gets married, takes gold mines as a dowry and came to sell the "Swallow" and say goodbye to a fun bachelor life. Hearing that Larisa is getting married, he is pleased. So, the old is forgotten, you can, as before, go in and talk with Harita Ignatievna and Larisa.
Action two
In the first appearance, Ogudalova is concerned about the lack of money. Vozhevatov gave Larisa a birthday present. Knurov arrives, Ogudalova defrauds him of three hundred rubles. The merchant tells Ogudalova that Harita Ignatievna buy a beautiful bride's outfit for her daughter and everything that is needed for the wedding. He will pay for everything. Knurov promises the widow that when Larisa gets tired of her worthless husband, he will help her leave him, but not for nothing.
Ogudalova understands his hints and agrees with them.
Larisa makes plans for life in the village:
- found a basket for picking mushrooms and berries;
- asked the gypsy Ilya to tune the guitar to sing in the village;
- collects romances that he will take with him.
Larisa, who has come Karandyshev, again begs to leave for the village as soon as possible. He refuses, because he wants to show off as a bride, to amuse his pride. Larisa is outraged that he only thinks of himself, only loves himself. In desperation, she exclaims: “When will someone love me? You will bring me to my death!!"
Everyone is talking about the arrival of the master. When Larisa finds out that this master is Paratov, the girl in fear calls Karandyshev to leave for the village and not meet with Paratov. But Karandyshev wants to show off his bride in front of him. Larisa warns what a dangerous rival Paratov is.
In the window you can see the master's carriage that has arrived.
When meeting with Larisa Paratov seeks recognition from her that he is still loved by her. He hopes to invite her to a picnic where he will say goodbye to his single life. because this is what Knurov and Vozhevatov want. Karandyshev is rude to Paratov, but at the insistence of Larisa he is forced to ask him for an apology and invite him to dinner.
Act Three
The first appearance in Karandyshev's house after his dinner. Efrosinya Potapovna, his aunt, Ogudalova and Larisa exchange opinions about the past dinner.
Efrosinya Potapovna is indignant at the high cost of food and drink. She considers it right that Karandyshev ordered cheap wine with expensive wine labels, that the food is cheap and not of the best quality. Still a lot of money spent.
Ogudalova condemns the guests who do not drink bad wine themselves, but get Karandyshev drunk. Larisa, out of shame for the owner and guests, does not know where to go.
In the fourth appearance, Paratov, Knurov and Vozhevatov come out after dinner and make fun of Karandyshev, his dinner menu and the quality of food and wine. They laugh at the cheap carpet and the weapons hung on it. Karandyshev enters with a box of cigars and assures him that the pistol is loaded, removes it from the carpet. The guests refuse the crappy Karandyshev cigars, saying with irony and mockery that they are very dear to them.
Paratov asks Larisa to sing to them. Together with Ilya, they sing the romance "Do not tempt me without need."
The merchants leave and leave Larisa and Paratov alone. He recalls their love, that they have not forgotten their feelings, that he will be her slave, and she will be the mistress. And he persuades them to go on a picnic across the Volga with them. Larisa believes him and agrees.
Paratov proposes to the guests who have entered a toast to Karandyshev. He goes for wine. Everyone leaves and Larisa with them. When Karandyshev returns, he realizes that he was laughed at. Outraged by another humiliation, he grabs a pistol from the table and leaves with the words that he will take revenge on everyone.
act four
The first scene begins on a bright summer night on the same Volga embankment as in the first act near the coffee house. Karandyshev with a pistol approaches the coffee shop and interrogates Robinson where his comrades are. He replies that he does not know and, frightened by the gun, hides in a coffee shop.
The whole company of Paratov returns together with the gypsies. Gypsy Ilya is very pleased with the past picnic. Knurov and Vozhevatov understand that drama is brewing.
Vozhevatov believes that Karandyshev will be angry, jealous and will again be the same enamored groom. To which Knurov objects that she is not the same. The girl believed the words of a man who had already deceived her once, so he promised serious relationship. Knurov invites Vozhevatov to "take part in her fate."
They decide her fate by playing toss, as a result of which, Knurov has the right to offer Larisa to become his kept woman.
Paratov and Larisa return to the coffee shop. The merchants leave, leaving them alone. Paratov sends Larisa home. Larisa explains that she cannot return home alone, cannot return to her fiancé, whom she not only does not love, but does not even respect. Paratov took her away from the groom from the house, mother is waiting to bless them. After a long conversation, Larisa realizes that the master deceived her again, that he is engaged to a rich bride and will not exchange her for a dowry.
Larisa is left alone. Vozhevatov approaches her. To her pleas for compassion, he replies that bound by an honest merchant's word.
Knurov asks Larisa to listen to him. He invites her to go with him to Paris, offers a huge content, persuades her not to rush into an answer, she can wait. As soon as he hears a positive answer from her, he will be able to fulfill all her desires and whims. “Impossible is not enough for me,” he says. Larisa silently, shakes his head.
Left alone, the dowry in despair thinks about suicide. He again approaches the grate over the abyss and does not dare. “If someone would kill me now,” she dreams bitterly.
Robinson brings Karandyshev. He calls Larisa with him, assures that he loves her. But his bride replies: "You lie!"
Larisa decides if she's a toss thing, then every thing must have an owner, a rich owner. I didn’t find love, I was looking for it, but it’s not there, then will look for gold.
Larisa gets up to leave, Karandyshev gets in her way: "You must be mine." Hearing Larisino: “Never”, he shoots her with a pistol, shouting: “ So don't give it to anyone!»
Larisa with the words: "My dear, what a blessing you have done for me!" - raises the gun and puts it on the table so that everyone believes that she herself shot herself: "It's me myself, I did it myself."
She dies with words of love for all, to the loud singing of gypsies.
Ostrovsky, with his play, showed us that where money and calculation rule, there is no place for love. "Dowry" was written 20 years after the play "Thunderstorm". Much has changed, the wild, gloomy merchant customs have changed, but the power of money has remained. There is still no place in this life for people with a loving and passionate soul, like Larisa. Life style, clothes, language can change, but as long as money rules the world, behind these changes there will still be a thirst for money and power, and there will be no place for love and simple human feelings.
Ostrovsky's play was staged in many theaters, withstood the test of time, was filmed more than once. Analysis of "Dowry", summary does not allow you to appreciate all the merits of the play, you need to read it all and watch at least one film version, if there is no way to see it on stage. Literature lovers need:
- know the history of the creation of Ostrovsky's play;
- read not a short, but its full version:
- watch a theatrical production or film adaptation.
In this case, viewers and readers will become fans of the work of the playwright Ostrovsky.
1. Calculation and feelings, their role in the development of the plot.
2. The image and fate of Larisa Ogudalova.
3. Representatives of the business world in the play.
4. Drama of injured pride: Julius Karandyshev.
In the play "Dowry" A. N. Ostrovsky clearly demonstrated that the main driving force in society is money. It is they who give a person the opportunity to manage others, to feel confident and independent: successful businessmen Knurov and Vozhevatov are respected people in the city, all doors are open to them, and they themselves are fully aware of all the advantages of their position: “Yes, you can do business with money, you can . Well, Vasily Danilych, who has a lot of money. There is no such “goods” that could not be purchased for money: for them, the squandered nobleman Paratov sells his “volushka”, Larisa’s mother fishes them out from wealthy guests with various tricks, for money Larisa herself, disappointed in love, is ready to go with Knurov, who is not averse to having fun. The cunning swindler, the actor Schastlivtsev, is trying to extract all the material benefits from his acquaintance with rich people, having incurred debts at their expense, and the petty official Karandyshev is trying his best to catch up with the rich, whom he secretly envies. Thus, we see that, to one degree or another, money influences the behavior of all the characters in the play.
And what role do feelings play in the development of the plot, primarily love? Larisa, the main character of the play, is constantly in the spotlight, they talk about her, admire her. However true love Of all the characters, only she experienced: “I was looking for love and did not find it. They looked at me and look at me as if they were fun. No one ever tried to look into my soul, I didn’t see sympathy from anyone, I didn’t hear a warm, heartfelt word, ”Larisa comes to this conclusion. In fact, who from her environment is capable of high feelings? “No, somehow I, Mokiy Parmenych, don’t notice this at all in myself,” says the young merchant Vozhevatov about love. “What is “sorry”, I don’t know. I, Moky Parmenych, have nothing cherished; I’ll find a profit, so I’ll sell everything, anything ”- this is the true essence of Paratov, who for a long time seemed to Larisa the “ideal man”. And this man shamelessly lied to Larisa: “... There is no innate huckstering in me; noble feelings still stir in my soul. Knurov is at least honest: "... I am ready to offer you such an enormous content that the most evil critics of someone else's morality will have to be silent and gape in surprise." Yes, and Karandyshev, who declares that he loves Larisa, treats her the same way as everyone else - as a thing, believing that he has the right to control her fate, her life: “So don’t get you to anyone!”
The internal conflict of the play lies in the fact that with significant attention from others, Larisa is actually immensely lonely. Not only that, its concepts and aspirations do not fit into the system of values prevailing in society. Larisa is alien to calculation and pretense, and this becomes the cause of her mental suffering. But she, with all her high merits, does not know how to evaluate people. She takes Paratov's external brilliance for the true breadth of the soul; she believes this man even after he disappeared, after saying beautiful words about your love. Since there is no lie in Larisa, she does not see it in others either; indignant that “everyone loves himself,” that everyone thinks only of themselves, she also, in essence, does not see those around her, measures them by her own standards. Her decision to marry Karandyshev is an extremely unreasonable decision: even before the wedding it is clear that she, sensitive, vulnerable and proud, will not get along with this man, in whom the base possessive instinct is extremely developed and self-esteem is painfully aggravated. And Larisa does not want and does not know how to look soberly at her fiancé, as well as at her beloved person - she fences herself off from the real Karandyshev with ghostly pictures of the future family life in which the girl hopes to find peace of mind. But is it possible to find spiritual harmony, being in the company of a person whom you do not love and even respect? “... You are too petty, too insignificant for me,” but is this true only in relation to Karandyshev? And Paratov? After all, he, too, with all his brilliance, which Karandyshev so lacks, does not deserve respect.
In the play "Dowry", Ostrovsky masterfully showed not only the character of the main character, but also the people around her. The hereditary merchants Knurov and Vozhevatov, despite the cynicism with which they cast lots on who to take Larisa for maintenance, nevertheless turn out to be more honest than the nobleman Paratov. “Honest merchant's word” still has value in the views of Knurov and Vozhevatov: “... Having given your word, hold on; and not giving, be strong! The honesty of these practical people, albeit not burdened by high spiritual ideals, distinguishes them favorably from Paratov, whose immoral and cruel lies become one of the reasons for the death of Larisa.
Ostrovsky shows and others character traits successful businessmen: the arrogance of Knurov, who talks only to a select few, the witty hypocrisy of Vozhevatov, who drinks champagne as if it were tea in order to avoid unnecessary gossip.
Clever businessmen secretly laugh at Paratov, who pays too much attention to secular gloss, loves to spend money, not counting why he squandered. Ostrovsky shows the shift in value priorities that has taken place in society: if before the nobleman was more respected than the representatives of the merchant class (this theme sounds, for example, in the play “Our people - let's get along”), now the merchants allow themselves to make fun of noble inexperience, ostentatious chic: “ ... Where is he! This is not a bar business. Here you will find a benefit if you buy something cheap. ”
In stark contrast to self-confident entrepreneurs and the brilliant gentleman Paratov is the image of Yuli Karandyshev, Larina's fiancé. The desire to "magnify" exposes this person in a pitiful, ridiculous way. Karandyshev's main trouble is not even in his insignificant income, but in the fact that he tries to get on friendly terms with the rich, forgetting ancient wisdom: "A goose is not a comrade to a pig." This person has a painfully heightened self-esteem - deep down, aware of his own insignificance, Karandyshev suffers painfully from jealousy. He is ready to be jealous of Larisa for anyone; wanting to somehow raise his own importance in her eyes, he gets into conversations with inappropriate remarks, tries to tell Larisa how she should behave, reproaches her for her behavior, which, from his point of view, is wrong. But all these miserable attempts to appear smart and significant suffer a crushing collapse - Karandyshev increasingly reveals his personal failure. The murder of Larisa is the highest manifestation of base emotions that cover Karandyshev.
Summarizing the above, we can say that Ostrovsky not only skillfully recreated the features of life in certain circles of society, showed the tragic discrepancy between the world of a chistogan and the desire of the human soul for selfless love, but also showed the characters that, with minor changes, still exist in society. .
The idea of the drama "Dowry" was conceived by A. N. Ostrovsky in 1874. The original plot was completely different (an old woman with three daughters, two lovers). According to some information, original version was formed by the writer under the impression of the Kineshma case about the husband's murder of his wife out of jealousy. A big role in the scandalous story was played by the "millionaire" I. A. Konovalov (possible prototype of Knurov).
The play was completed at the end of 1878. A few days later it premiered at the Moscow Maly Theatre.
The meaning of the name
The name "Dowry" indicates the main character and her life tragedy. Larisa does not have a good dowry, which in Ostrovsky's era was a serious obstacle to marriage.
The main theme of the work
The main theme of the work is the tragic fate of a dowry.
Larisa is a very beautiful, educated girl with a musical taste. These undoubted advantages attract fans to her. But as soon as admirers of Larisa's talents find out that she is poor, courtship stops. Nobody wants a poor wife to support.
Harita Ignatievna continues to place great hopes on Larisa. She specifically attracts young people to the house, forcing her daughter to entertain them. The eldest Ogudalova admits that there is absolutely no female cunning in Larisa. If Larisa wanted to, she would have “wounded” a rich man long ago. The girl hates lies and pretense. She dreams of pure big love.
Larisa's dream began to come true when she met Paratov. For the first time, the girl saw a real man who appreciated her personal merits, and not her financial situation. However, Sergei Sergeyevich suddenly disappeared; the life of a dowry went into the usual rut, bored to tears.
Larisa takes the decision to marry the insignificant Karandashev out of desperation before the collapse of her dream. Marriage with Julius Kapitonych will not bring her happiness, but at least it will allow her to take a certain position in society and tear her out of that "booth" into which her house has become, filled with the efforts of her mother with suitors.
The unexpected return of Paratov becomes the cause of the tragedy. In the soul of Larisa, dead hopes come to life again. She, without hesitation, leaves her fiancé and goes for her beloved. Having surrendered to Paratov, Larisa is sure that this automatically makes them husband and wife. The crude deceit of Sergei Sergeevich delivers the final blow to the dreamy girl. She no longer expects anything from a disgusted life.
Larisa remains grateful to Karandyshev for his fatal shot. Only in such a terrible way does she manage to break free and stop feeling the stigma of dowry on herself.
Issues
Larisa's main problem is that due to the lack of a dowry, none of those around her sees in her a living person with their feelings and desires.
The mother dreams of getting rid of her daughter as soon as possible and hopes to improve her financial situation with the help of her profitable marriage. For Knurov and Vozhevatov, Larisa is a toy, an “expensive diamond”, requiring an “expensive setting” and a “good jeweler”. Both businessmen with frank cynicism play the girl in the final in the "toss".
Ilya Kapitonich seems to really love Larisa, but after receiving the girl's consent to marriage, his attitude changes. The quiet and modest official is transformed. Larisa becomes for him just a good means to finally satisfy his pride. It is not by chance that the dowry says to her fiancé: "... I am a doll for you, play with me, break it and leave it."
The opportunity to "play" with Larisa is given to the "ideal man". For Sergei Sergeevich, using an “expensive toy” does not represent great work, because the dowry believed him and was cruelly deceived.
The fall of Larisa also did not particularly excite anyone except herself. Paratov speaks of "instant infatuation". Knurov is even pleased with this, as the “expensive diamond” is becoming much more affordable. The miserable Karandyshev hopes to take possession of the now fallen woman again.
Another problem raised in the drama is the appearance in Russia in late XIX century of a new type of people. "Millionaire businessmen" like Knurov, having made money in short term fabulous states, felt themselves complete masters of life. Larisa and Karandyshev seem to them to be such small people that their feelings and desires do not matter.
"Dowry" analysis of the work - the theme, idea, genre, plot, composition, heroes, problems and other issues are disclosed in this article.
Russian playwright Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky created a whole galaxy of Russian characters. Mostly they were merchants: sedate, with a bushy beard. And if in some plays of the playwright one can meet real "tyrants", then there are works where Ostrovsky continued the traditions of Turgenev in depicting female characters. The "Turgenev" girl is resolute, she can be the first to confess her feelings and will never give up her words.
In Ostrovsky's plays "Hot Heart", "Thunderstorm", "Snow Maiden" images of such heroines are created - resolute and courageous, but with a tragic fate. Even among such bright girls with a "hot heart", one can be singled out - Larisa Ogudalova, the main character of the play "Dowry". An outstanding personality, she stands out from her surroundings and is strikingly different from her mother, who is trying to find benefits in everything.
She, Kharita Ignatievna Ogudalova, can be understood: she alone raised three daughters. Yes, only the two elders, married, had an unfortunate fate: the first Caucasian husband stabbed to death out of jealousy, the second was at the mercy of a cheater. Larisa is her mother's last hope: she sings beautifully, performs Russian romances, plays music, and dances. And the mother hopes that she will be able to marry such a talented and beautiful daughter well, so that she lives like Christ in her bosom. Therefore, she teaches: "It is better to humiliate yourself from a young age, so that later you can live like a human being."
In the view of a woman with a gypsy name Harita, humanly, this is when there are many men in the house, wine flows like water, compliments sound. It is no coincidence that Larisa's current fiancé, a poor official, Julius Kapitonych Karandyshev, compares life in the Ogudalovs' house with a camp. Only all the tricks of the mother are in vain, because Larisa is a dowry. And in the society that surrounds the girl, there is only money. The new masters of life, unlike the heroes of "Thunderstorm", are no longer petty tyrants: their power is based on money. “I have nothing cherished; I will find a profit, so I will sell everything, ”says another hero of the play, Sergei Sergeyich Paratov,“ a brilliant gentleman, ”in the author’s assessment.
And this is true: Paratov, whom Larisa fell in love with so much that she “almost died of grief”, easily exchanged her for a “millionth” bride - the daughter of the owner of gold mines. Having left her without explanation a year ago, now, when Larisa decides to marry the “first comer” Karandyshev, Paratov, having appeared again, accuses Larisa of treason. At a meeting, he reproachfully says that he would like to know “whether a passionately loved person is soon forgotten: on the next day after parting with him, in a week or a month ...”
And Larisa, who had already told her fiancé that "Sergei Sergeyich is the ideal of a man," loses her head again. She forgives her beloved, who disappeared unexpectedly a year ago, and "not a single letter." Larisa - romantic nature, therefore, does not notice the obvious things. She proudly tells Karandyshev how a year ago Paratov shot in cold blood at the watch she was holding in her hand. But this fact, rather, suggests that Larisa does not mean anything to him. In addition, Paratov is vindictive: having barely met Karandyshev, he manages to hurt the pride of a poor official, but insists that it is Julius Kapitonich who apologizes to him, the master of life. And then, at a dinner party, he gets drunk on him in order to once again humiliate him in front of people who measure everything with money.
It just so happened in Ostrovsky's plays: against the backdrop of resolute and courageous heroines, men turn out to be lethargic and lifeless. In the play "Thunderstorm", the husband of Katerina Kabanova depends on her mother in everything, which as a result leads to tragedy: his young wife voluntarily passes away.
In "Dowry" the situation is similar: out of desperation, agreeing to marry Karandyshev, she begs him to leave for the village to start new life, little reminiscent of the former camp. But the petty official, who endured ridicule in the hope of waiting for reciprocity from Larisa, is now "spreading his wings." He wants to rub off the representatives of the upper class, and he gives a dinner in honor of Larisa Dmitrievna to say: she chose the most worthy man for her suitors - him, Yuli Kapitonych. This is his revenge for the envy that he had to experience every time he saw Larisa's beautiful and successful fans.
But by this act, he even more causes contempt from those who are used to drinking champagne in the morning and having lunch in a restaurant. After all, he, a poor official, has enough money only for cheap liquor, the bottles from which are carefully sealed with labels from expensive wine. And if Larisa, in response to reproaches of treason by Paratov, says that her fiancé has the most important advantage - he loves her, then in the final she is disappointed in him. She disgustedly tells her ex-fiance, who is kneeling before her: “You are too insignificant for me,” and then bitterly admits: “I was looking for love and did not find it.”
It is difficult to find love in a society where everything is just bought and sold. Paratov is selling his favorite ship, the Lastochka, because he has found a profit - a bride with a million dollar dowry. But he commits a much more vile act: having humiliated her fiancé in the eyes of Larisa, he gives hope for the future and, taking advantage of the situation, seduces the poor girl, and then confesses that he is engaged - he has “golden chains”. That's when the epiphany comes to the heroine. She understands that everyone around her, even her own mother, looks at her as a thing, for fun.
She does not have the courage to commit suicide, as Katerina did in The Thunderstorm, but she finds the strength to admit that no one has ever tried to look into her soul, she has not seen sympathy from anyone, has not heard a warm word. Larisa passes a terrible sentence to herself: "I did not find love, so I will look for gold." And she is really ready to ride to an exhibition in Paris with the middle-aged merchant Knurov, who won her in the "toss" from a younger rival, she is ready to become his kept woman, that is, to sell herself at a higher price, because for her there is only one consolation: if you are to be a thing, then very expensive.
The finale of this psychological play is a foregone conclusion. Sobered up, but rejected, Karandyshev shoots at Larisa, and for her this becomes a salvation. Now she cannot be bought or sold - she remains free and truly happy. She dies with words of forgiveness on her lips. Thus, the author shows that death is a tragic way out of the insoluble moral contradictions of the time, a sentence to a society that is not able to preserve the treasure of a spiritual personality, beauty and talent.